Player Updates

Marisnick (thumb) agreed to a one-year, $1.9 million deal with the Astros on Thursday to avoid arbitration, Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports reports.

Marisnick hit .243/.319/.496 with 16 home runs, 35 RBI and nine stolen bases during 106 games last year. The 26-year-old underwent thumb surgery in mid-September, but all indications point to the center fielder being fully operational come spring training.

Marisnick (thumb) threw Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery in mid-September, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

There's no indication that Marisnick will be able to return at some point during the postseason, should the Astros advance beyond the ALCS. With that in mind, he'll aim to be back in full health once spring training arrives. Marisnick appeared in 106 games during the 2017 season, during which he hit .243/.319/.496.

Marisnick will undergo surgery on his fractured right thumb and is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.

Marisnick is set to undergo surgery on Friday, which would place an optimistic return for the end of October, effectively ending his regular season and casting doubt on whether he will be able to return to the club even if the Astros are still playing come the tail-end of the playoffs. He suffered the injury during Wednesday's game while sliding into second base, and will immediately begin rehabbing following Friday's procedure. In his place, Cameron Maybin and Derek Fisher are in line to see an increase in action.

Manager A.J. Hinch said Marisnick (thumb) is flying back to Houston to see the team doctors, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com reports.

Hinch didn't sound optimistic, saying "we'll know more in the next of couple days, but it doesn't look good." Given what Hinch said and how late it is in the year, it sounds like Marisnick's season could be over, though that will be determined in the coming days. Cameron Maybin and Derek Fisher could see a few extra starts in the outfield with Marisnick sidelined.